UPDATED: Tech drilled by BYU, 41-17
The defense was picked apart and battered. The offense had no magic. The special teams, save one historic kickoff return, was largely a hindrance.
Saturday, Georgia Tech lost to BYU 41-17 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in a game that contained little mystery.
“We pretty much got our tails whipped,” coach Paul Johnson said. “It was disappointing. I think we got whipped in all three phases of the game.”
With a chance to even their record and build on a convincing win over Boston College a week ago, the Yellow Jackets (3-5) continued their flailing season. Tech gave up 40 or more points for the fourth time in the past five games, had a punt blocked and failed to produce an offensive touchdown for the first time since the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl loss to LSU. In hopes of reviving the offense, Johnson sent in backup quarterback Vad Lee late in the third quarter. To rousing cheers, he drove the Jackets for a field goal on his first drive, but produced 16 yards of offense in his final two possessions.
Just to qualify for its 16th consecutive bowl, Tech will have to win three of its final four games. The Jackets finish with Maryland, North Carolina, Duke and Georgia. For a team that lost by 24 points at home, none of those register as expected wins.
Saturday, the defining difference between BYU and Tech was their performance on third down. The Cougars picked up first downs on 9 of 16 third downs, while the Jackets struck out on 10 third-down conversion attempts.
Defensively, Tech reverted to the form that led to the firing of defensive coordinator Al Groh. After holding Boston College to a 1-of-9 effort on third downs last Saturday, the Jackets permitted quarterback Riley Nelson to extend drives left and right with completions.
Interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly mixed up coverages and blitzes that occasionally produced results. He sent seven defenders at Nelson on a 3rd-and-8 on the game’s opening possession, but Nelson answered it with a 15-yard completion.
One of Tech’s highlights, a 22-yard interception return for a first-quarter touchdown by safety Isaiah Johnson, came on a third down in which Tech rushed three and dropped eight into coverage. But the Jackets couldn’t disrupt Nelson with any frequency and also missed a slew of tackles, a problem that plagued the defense under Groh but had abated in the Boston College game.
Tech also had trouble with BYU running back Jamaal Williams, a 17-year-old freshman who dinged the Jackets for 107 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
The BYU defense, ranked No. 8 in the country against the run, needed no help, but the Jackets abetted the Cougars with penalties, missed blocks and faulty reads on the option. Not counting a kneeldown at the end of the first half, Tech had nine possessions and couldn’t hold the ball for more than six plays on seven of them. The Jackets ran just 47 plays, a little more than half the 91 they ran against Boston College and the fewest of any game in Johnson’s tenure. BYU’s 38:59 time of possession was also an opponent high in the Johnson era.
“It’s obvious that we’ve got to do a lot better,” Lee said. “We’ve got to clean up a lot of things.”
The big plays that this offense needs to expand its margin for error never materialized. Tech had been averaging six plays per game of 20 yards or more. Saturday, the Cougars held them to one, a 22-yard run by A-back Robbie Godhigh.
“They make you earn it, and we weren’t good enough to earn it,” Johnson said. “We’d self-inflict wounds.”
Asked if this was the worst offensive game of his five-year tenure, Johnson replied, “I’m sure it is.”
Only Isaiah Johnson’s interception return and Jamal Golden’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown – the Jackets’ first such score since 1998 – kept Tech in the game, which was 24-14 in BYU’s favor at halftime. The game tilted in the third quarter when quarterback Tevin Washington, pressured by BYU end Ezekiel Ansah, threw an interception deep in Tech territory that was returned to the Tech 2-yard line. A one-yard touchdown run by Williams pushed BYU to a 31-14 lead with 3:43 left in the third quarter and released any remaining suspense.
The Jackets will return to work Monday, trying to find answers that have eluded them for the larger part of eight games.
“I don’t know,” said Johnson, asked to explain how his team could be playing beneath expectations. I don’t have an explanation for you.”
By Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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473 comments Add your comment
A Iverson
October 27th, 2012
10:07 pm
@BUZZMAN- I AGREE! I’ve been screaming that for years but CPJ claims that’s not the case. That’s why he’s too stubborn and incompitent to coach at the big time level. You have to practice against the best to beat the best…..our D will NEVER be any good when they practice against a SCOUT TEAM!
Silly Mutts
October 27th, 2012
10:07 pm
Buzz man everyone has a scout team to run against bro!
Just wondering?
October 27th, 2012
10:08 pm
I wonder what would be happening right now if Kim King was alive? Unknown to many, he called the shots. Since then, there has been someone in the background ready to step in and have the influencen that Kim had. If we lose rest of games and GA wins by 30 or more , mark it down, the power broker unknown to all will have pj and dr out the door. He has the money to pay most of the buy out. He has purposely been away from the program since dr and pj have been around. He already has a coach in mind and we as tech fans will have to get over our pride when he is mentioned.
A Iverson
October 27th, 2012
10:08 pm
yes, but every team also has a first and second string team to run against too. You’re not geting Buzzman’s point. Our D doesn’t have starting level talent to practice against tradition pro or spread type offenses. They only have scout team level talent running against them.
gtmba
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
i dont believe coach johnson is incontinent….lets look back and see
GT Joe
October 27th, 2012
10:16 pm
How good did tevin look today? Lol
Supersize, 5150 UOAD, Etc.
October 27th, 2012
10:16 pm
Where are you guys? Sounds like crickets at the Joke by Coke. Fun on the Flats, New Sheriff in Town, Perfect Option… all that stuff is a big joke, just like you guys. LMAO!!! Suck it losers
Silly Mutts
October 27th, 2012
10:18 pm
How good did Vad look today? Major laugher!
Goober Johnson is a Real Winner
October 27th, 2012
10:18 pm
Paul “Goober” Johnson is an offensive genius. Three points against BYU. Coach of the Year, New Sheriff in Town…..LMAO and ROTF and LMAO!!!
Admiral Obvious
October 27th, 2012
10:21 pm
Sign Blame Bush Johnson to a lifetime contract! The perfect coach for our times.
GT MOM
October 27th, 2012
10:26 pm
Tech is on probation and playing the worst football that I have ever seen on the flats. Honestly can it get any worst?
gtmba
October 27th, 2012
10:28 pm
OK I have looked back at the evidence and find nothing that indicates coach johnson is incontinent. however i note that Vlad [the impaler] sucks at night and is strangely unavailable for day games…hard to figure
I've fallen and I can't get up
October 27th, 2012
10:28 pm
Wher is George Stein and all the rest of the CPJ defenders tonight?
Full Metal Jacket
October 27th, 2012
10:40 pm
Winning only one against UGA……never winning a bowl–and geting embarrassed instead several times…..and now settling for mediocrity…….. this is too much. It may not be time to let CPJ go yet, and maybe we can’t afford to, but DRad certainly needs to rattle his cage a little. Something is bad wrong and it’s going to take a long time to fix it. We’d better get started.
Calibre Brooke Dawg
October 27th, 2012
10:41 pm
Did any of you guys see the UGA game today?
Full Metal Jacket
October 27th, 2012
10:42 pm
Of course it could be worse, we could be UGA fans……
wreckbone
October 27th, 2012
10:43 pm
You guys on here talking about how the coach must go. You are the problem. We have two coaches on buyout right now and you want a third? I’m not happy about the games this year. But tech never recruited at a stellar level. Chan was getting better recruits and could not coach. O leary could coach some but this job wasn’t good enough. Face it we screwed up when Dodd left the SEC. Then we have been average with some silver lining years. You guys think firing Coach will magically make it ask better and make us top 15 recruiting. Not gonna happen. Best you can hope for is a scheme our coach like cutcliffe or Johnson. Still think he’s a good coach. Runs clean program and if he has a b back and qb he can beat most anybody. No b back or qb that can get 3 yards anytime then we are not going to be good
big jake
October 27th, 2012
10:45 pm
you know I just dont see that much talent on the basketball team either! Seems like we were better before D-Rad came.
Fact Check
October 27th, 2012
10:46 pm
DRad should be terminated on Monday:
1) He got us on probation and he hired CPJ. He also negotiated CPJ’s current contract which has a $12mm buyout this year. BTW, where the heck was the Board of Trustees when this contract was signed? Didn’t they learn their lesson with the Paul Hewitt debacle with giving out big buyouts?
2) DRAd has treated Bruce Hepler like garbage, despite the fact that he has built one of the top three golf programs in the country.
3) DRad harassed Wes Durham and made him sweat out his contract renewal. He is arguably the best announcer in the country… Even Dawg fans agree on this.
3) Some uninformed person wrote earlier that Danny Hall should be fired. He has been to 3 CWS and won the ACC six times in his 19 years. DRad harassed him and stalled his contract renewal and we lost key recruits a few years ago.
4) He stuck with Paul Hewitt way too long.
5) Nobody in the AA likes DRad or CPJ.
6) DRad has run up $88mm in debt which has left us with limited options in terms of bringing in better coaches.
Fire DRad Monday, then maybe CPJ and his agent will get the hint and start looking for a new job.
Rick James
October 27th, 2012
10:49 pm
Keep your heads up Tech fans…As Georgia fan it terrifies me that if we run the table until the Tech game they can come to Athens and totally ruin our season with a win.There’s always something to play for.Best of luck the rest of the season.
GT Joe
October 27th, 2012
10:52 pm
Vad looked great, silly mutt, did you watch the game?
powhownd
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
We beat Florida today. Again. You guys do anything fun?
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
10:56 pm
HA HA HA… WHAT A JOKE!!! WE OWN THIS STATE!!
My Two Cents
October 27th, 2012
10:59 pm
You JAWGA fans on here flapping your gums just because you beat a Florida team that was no more the #2 team in the Country than Obama or Romney are the best candidates for President…what a load of horse fertilizer. Come on back when you beat ‘Bama (and hades is likely to freeze over before that happens).
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:00 pm
WHAT A LAME SCHOOL!!
Silly Mutts
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
@ Gt Joe……vad sucks period! I can’t help that your blind!
K
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
The wheels have come off this wagon.
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:02 pm
FISH FRY FOR THE WINNER OF 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, WERE IN CONTENTION FOR THAT AREN’T WE??
1 4 GT
October 27th, 2012
11:02 pm
GT Joe….I only ask & hope you have the good manners not to gloat. I tried to be patient & be on Tevin’s side, although I did see his weaknesses. But I now admit it. He has made some good plays, but he is prone to make what I will call panic plays. I told my seat mate after his INT in the 3rd quarter after bouncing a pass to, I believe, Orwin, that if I were CPJ, that would be the last time he set foot on the field in a game unless injuries mandated it. The next offensive possession for GT, Vad Lee was the QB. I want & hope he retains the job of QB until he leaves Tech, unless someone beats him out in the future. Let’s see Vad & let him learn his duties on the fly. I/we’ve seen enough of Tevin to suit me. From what I saw in the stands today, so have many others. He was booed for the 1st time as he trotted off the field. Pretty loudly too.
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
We brought out 5300 for our game…. Bring it Valdosta!!
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:05 pm
Is there any GT posters under 65???? DAMN APPLE WITH THOSE IPADS!! I’m sure 1956 was a sweet year hot shots!!
You Think Things are Bad Now on the Flats?
October 27th, 2012
11:06 pm
Wait until you fire CPJ. Small offensive linemen and no defense. Tech will be 3 years before they have a winning season going from a triple option offense to a more conventional offense. Could not happen to a better school and a more deserving fan base. Suck it LOSERS!!
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:08 pm
AREN’T YOU SUPPOSE TO WIN YOUR HOMECOMING GAME??? MY BAD IT WAS BYU HOMECOMING GAME WASN’T IT???
Techwood Homes Jacket
October 27th, 2012
11:08 pm
I’ve always said that Tech was my team win or lose, but this season has left me stunned. I’ve had season tickets for 12 years and I’m committed to give CPJ one more season to turn this around. After that, Tech will still be my team, but I won’t buy the tickets. Just damn!
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:10 pm
SOMEBODY JUST GOT ROBBED ON YOUR CAMPUS! CAN WE GET THIS FELONS TO PUT ON A UNIFORM???
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:10 pm
UGA
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:11 pm
HUNKER DOWN
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:12 pm
WHAT A PROGRAM
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
My Great Great granddaddy saw A GT bowl win
Fact Check
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
For the record, I don’t agree that Wes Durham is the best announcer in the country. He is a loser just like you and your Tech buddies. The Joke by Coke is Broke!!!
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
WE OWN Y’ALL
Rick James
October 27th, 2012
11:16 pm
@My Two Cents
You JAWGA fans on here flapping your gums just because you beat a Florida team that was no more the #2 team in the Country than Obama or Romney are the best candidates for President…what a load of horse fertilizer. Come on back when you beat ‘Bama (and hades is likely to freeze over before that happens).
—————————————————————————————————————————–
I’m sure you would have said last week come back after you beat Florida.Dont hide behind Alabama invite us back after we beat Tech..If you dont want us back tell us to come back after you win a bowl game..Sorry but I dont think it will be this year.Good night
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:17 pm
GIVE EVERYBODY WHO GETS ARRESTED AROUND AROUND TECH’S CAMPUS A JERSEY AND WE MAY COULD TACKLE SOMEBODY!!
GSU1991
October 27th, 2012
11:17 pm
I’ve been trying to find an explanation: (1) could it be some of the injuries {supposed to have backups ready to step in}. (2) could it be other teams catching up to GT in terms of matching up and adjusting to our offensive speed. (3) could it be, the academic committment needed is too much for some of the atheletes. (4) could it be early departures to the pro league {see #1}
My conclusion is simple. This is not a good team.
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:18 pm
Tools.. They get used
What on earth happened
October 27th, 2012
11:19 pm
When a good team matches up with a not so good team, these are the results.
DORKS R US
October 27th, 2012
11:19 pm
Great analysis 1991, u should write a thesis
Fact Check
October 27th, 2012
11:20 pm
Show your face once Dorks R Us… I will smack you down. Seriously…
Truth is… UGA is a better football program than GT. other than that we own you in everything. Fact of the matter is… We run this state 364 days of the year.
I'm not a CPJ hater, BUT...
October 27th, 2012
11:20 pm
Asked if this was the worst offensive game of his five-year tenure, Johnson replied, “I’m sure it is.”
sounds like the coach has quit…the ‘team’ has apparently just dressed out and shown up, but hasn’t decided whether they will play or not. Look, the Bill Lewis Debacle is in danger of being displaced as the ‘worst showing by a coach that we thought woud be great’ by CPJ’s tenure. WTF is going on that we fans don’t know about? Looks like a mutiny to me…Braine wan an idiot….so what does that make D-rad?? Not a statement, but an honest question…time for a fire sale. It seems weird to me that htis hting is going in the toilet as fast as it is….could it be that the GT/dwags game might end up being 61 to 27 or someting like that? worse than The Gailey Game? Hard time to be a Yellow JAcket.
Oh where, oh where has my defense gone?
October 27th, 2012
11:23 pm
Defensive fundamentals should dictate that you make concerted effort for basic tackle at first point of impact. Do not attempt slacking off with arm tackling. Do not attempt for super-play, stripping the ball away, until a stop is made. Do no assume you wil have backup assistance – not if teammates maintain their assignment.
GT needs more quality defensive players. They have some talet, just not enough.